Conservative MP Howard Flight has resigned as deputy chairman of the party, a Tory spokesman said.

Mr Flight - the party's special envoy to the City - quit over comments he made about Tory spending plans.

He had apparently admitted that the scale of planned spending cuts were being concealed because "whatever the fine principles, you have to win an election first".

A party spokesman said the comments did not represent party policy.

Mr Flight was involved in setting up the James review into public spending which identified Â£35 billion of savings.

In a statement Mr Flight said: "I regret my choice of words which do not accurately reflect the process of the James committee, with which I have been closely involved and totally support.

"I want to make it clear that the conclusions of the James committee represent the settled view of the Conservative Party on cutting waste, removing unnecessary bureaucracies, giving taxpayers value for money and protecting and enhancing frontline public services".

Mr Flight made the controversial comments at a meeting of the Thatcherite Conservative Way Forward group.

The Arundel and South Downs MP told the audience: "The potential for getting better taxpayer value is a good bit greater than the James findings (which have been) 'sieved' for what is politically acceptable and what is not going to lose the main argument."

A tape of his comments was leaked to The Times. He hinted that further tax and spending cuts would be possible once the Conservatives were in power because "everyone on our side of the fence believes passionately that it will be a continuing agenda".

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does this mean that the tories have identified further areas of excess labour spending that could be cut back and spent on something important (like defence, health, schools, justice.... Hellooooo Micheal, are you listening?)

No, it just means that someone is lying â Howard I suspect; Flight thought his words were not going to be reported.

Having said that Jim Callaghan was once asked why do politicians never tell the truth? His reply was âbecause the public never want to hear the truthâ. He used a party political point to explain. When Mrs T came to power she had an agenda to transform the British economy â Callaghan agreed this was necessary and conceded that any change must result in increased levels of unemployment. Anyone who had an even basic understanding of economics would understand that Mrs Ts radical plans must inevitably to lead to very high unemployment, in the order of 12 â 15% and maybe more. Both he and she believed that the public did not want to hear this, or always wanted to believe the axe would not fall on their particular industry, profession or trade. So they both lied and both had claimed they could bring about this policy with little increase in unemployment â he promise the masses good unemployment benefits if they did have to go through the unfortunate process of unemployment â she offered them their council houses as disposable asset.

You may not agree with his analogy. But his contention, that we only want politicians to pander to our prejudices and most of us want something that will benefit us and our family and fcuk anyone else is, I believe true. This was what Mrs T meant when she said âthere is no such thing as society.â She was making the complete opposite point to what many on the left accused her of. He point was that the average member of the public is pretty selfish and does not think in terms of society or community. And because they do not, it is the duty of politicians to think about what is good for society as a whole, and then wrap that up in as much bull-shit as is required to sell it to the average self centred, self-obsessed and pretty ignorant voter.

And BLiars lot are any better - like:
"your better off",
"WMDs launchable in 45min",
"Education, education, education",
"We'll edradicate MRSA in 6 months",
"We've been working with Mr Oliver for the last twelve months",
"the ban on Fox-Hunting is not a class issue",
"Tough on crime"...

Sorry I'm now nursing the bruises where I fell off my seat laughing!

If these t)ssers are planning something like this it's contemptable because we'll be left with present bunch of lying clowns.

No, it just means that someone is lying â Howard I suspect; Flight thought his words were not going to be reported.

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Exactly Howard flight was talking in private. I wonder what is being done about the little shite who made the recording and passed it on, for their own agenda.

There seems to be no mention of that fact in the media. In my opinion, what is the bigger headline is who and why did some one record a private meeting and leak it to the media, the Times if I recall correctly.

After all what is said in the Officers Mess or SNCO's mess should, and does stay in the mess.

I hope to hear another sacking in the next few days, but I suspect we wont.